Silo



V. S. BAUDER.

SILO.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1920. 1 ,387,751 Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

2 SHEEl'S-SHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. SILO.

Application filed January 8, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VICTOR S. BAUDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Plain, in the county of Montgomery and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Silos, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improved constructions in silos. My objects are to provide improved forms of construction, my invention being concerned chiefly with an improved form of step device, a door latch, an improved hoop construction and improved forms of hoop-supporting brackets.

In my improved construction I latch or secure the door sections in position by means of latch members which are pivoted to the door sections, so that the same may swing across the faces of the door sections and the adjacent door frame members into binding engagement with the latter. These latch members are operated by connection with the door step members which are pivoted to the door sections and swing downwardly and outwardly from their upper inoperative positions into their operative or horizontal outwardly extending positions. The latch members are loosely pivoted on. pivot rods or bolts which extend outwardly from the door sections and are swung by engagement with the step members as the latter move downwardly, sothat the latch members will swing across the faces of the door frame members and will at the same time move inwardly, that is, against the outer surfaces of the door frame members. Preferably, the step members are provided with slots which engage the tail portions of the latch members, the parts being so arranged that the latch members will be swung on their pivots and at the same time tilted on their pivots toward the door frame members so as to engage the latter. Preferably, the latch members are loosely pivoted between suitable stops such as adjustable nuts on the pivot bolts for the latch members, these nuts being adjustable into different positions to compensate for variations in thickness of the door frame members.

The hoops in my improved construction are carried by suitable brackets which are Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921. Serial No. 350,199.

arrangement of brackets.

In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawngs forming part of this application and illustrating one form of the drawlngs F igure frame members; Fig. 2 tion taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail partly in side elevation and partly in section of one of the hoop supporting brackets with connected parts; Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken on line 66 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the is a horizontal secdrawings, the silo is represented as having vertical door frame members 1, 1, between which is located the usual door opening which may extend continuously from top to bottom of the silo. A pair of door sections 2, 2, are illustrated as mounted within the door opening, it being understood that any desired number of door sections may be employed in vertical alinement. Each door section may comprise a rear portion 2 the side edge portions of which are adapted to' engage against the rear faces of the door frame members 1 and a front section 2 which is adapted to fit within the door opening, as is common.

Each of the door sections is provided with a pair of lugs 3, 3, secured to the front face of the door section adjacent the side edges thereof. Members 4, 4, are pivoted to lugs 3, 3, to form the outer portions of the step members which constitute the steps of a ladder. Each member 4 is preferably provided at its inner end with a cylindrical portion 5 extending at right angles from the main body of the member 4 into a corresponding recess in the lug 3, portions 5 constituting the pivots for members 4. Lugs 3 are provided with forwardly extending seat portions 6 on which members 4 are supported when in their horizontal forwardly extending positions.

The foot support portions of the step members are preferably formed by providing a pair of rods 7, 7, which extend in parallel relation between the members 4. Preferably, the members 7 are of square or rectangular section and are received in correspondingly shaped openings in the members 4 to prevent rotation of themembers 7. These openings may be countersunk and members 7 secured in place in any suitable manner, as for example by upsetting the ends of members 7 or by providing the same with screw threaded cylindrical end portions with which nuts engage. A rigid and inexpensive construction may thus beprovided and one which also furnishes a broad foot Fig. 4, so that rest. a I

Bolts 8 extend outwardly through each door section and lug 3 to form pivots for the latch levers 9. Each bolt 8 may be provided with a nut 8' at its inner end, on the inner side of the door section 2. A nut 10 is provided which may be screwed uptight against a washer 11 which bears against the front face of lug 3 so as to hold the bolt firmly in position. Another nut 12 is mounted on the bolt 8 at a desired distance in front of nut 10, nuts 10 and 12 forming stops between which latch lever 9 is pivoted on the bolt. Nut 12 may be locked in a desired adjusted position by any suitable means such gslthe cotter pin 13 extending through the Each of the step supporting members 4 is provided with a surface which is adapted to engage and'actuate one of the latch levers 9. Preferably, an elongatedslot 14 is formed in each of the members 4. The tail of a latch lever 9 extends through this slot, the periphery of the slot forming the latch actuating surface referred to. Latch lever 9 is loosely pivoted on bolt 8, as is shown in it is free to tilt at an angle toward or away from the front faces of the door section and door frame.

lVhen a door section is to be inserted in the door opening and held in position, the door step member is pressed into its upper position, atwhich time the latch levers 9 will be in approximately vertical position. When the door has been positioned in the door opening, the step member is pressed downwardly until it engages upon supports 6. As the members 4 descend the edges of slots 14 will engage latch levers 9 to swing the same about bolts 8 into the horizontal position. At the same time, the inner edges of slots 14 press the tail portions of latch levers 9 outwardly, so that the forward end portions 9 of latch levers 9 will move inwardly toward the door frame members 1, the latch levers 9 swinging between the stop nuts 10 and 12. The parts are so proportioned and adjusted as to cause the forward end portions 9 of the latch levers to move into binding engage ment with the faces of frame members 1 as they swing across the same into horizontal position. Preferably, theinner facesof the engaging portions 9' of the latch levers are provided with gently curved surfaces 15, as is indicated in Fig. 7. for the purpose of providing a considerable area of contact between the latch levers and frame members 1. Surfaces 15 may. of course. be cross checked or slightly roughened, if desired.

It will be noted that nuts 10 and 12 on bolts 8 provide a means whereby the throw of latch levers 9 may be adjusted incase the door frame members 1 vary in thickness. As members 4 descend to operative position the corresponding latch levers 9 pivot about nuts 10 as pivots while at the same time they swing about bolts 8. the nuts 12- limiting the amount of oscillation of, the latch levers about nuts 10 as pivots. Accordingly. the throw of a latch lever toward the door frame may be varied by adjusting the position of its nut- 12 or by varying thethickness of the washer 11 so as to vary the position of nut 10. p

The hoops 16 are supported by brackets 17. 18, andextend bracket 18 isprovided witha sleeve portion 19 and each bracket 17 with a sleeve portion 20 through which a hoop extends. one end of the hoop being threaded as is indicated at 20 and provided with a nut 21 which may be screwedup against-ashoulder 22 at the outer end of the sleeve portion 19 of the bracket. Each bracket 18 is provided with an offset extension 18 which is provided with a sleeve portion 23 parallel to the sleeve portion 19. The opposite endof the hoop extends through the sleeve'portion 23 and is drawn tight by means of a nut 24 which is adapted toengage against a shoulder 25 on the adjacent end 'of the sleeve portion 23. Sleeve portion 19 preferably extends a short distance past the inner edge of the adiacent door frame member 1 and sleeve portion23 is offset longitudinally from the same, so thatit may extend approximately from'the center of door frame member 1, for example, for a short distance beyond the outer edge around the silo. Each 7 of frame member 1. The reason for this construction lies in the fact that when the hoop is adjusted, the end of the same which extends through sleeve portion 23 will not project to any considerable distanc beyond the inner edge of frame member 1, where it might be in the way of a person climbing the ladder, or manipulating the devices (to be explained hereafter) for spreading the frame members 1 apart.

In the operation of a silo the door sections are apt to become swollen by contact with the ensilage juices, in which case it may be difficult to remove a door section. Accordingly, I have provided means for spreading the door frames slightly apart at a desired point when any door section has become stuck in position.

In the preferred form of my device, each sleeve portion 20 of a bracket 17 is provided with a shoulder 26 at its inner end, and each sleeve portion 19 of a bracket 18 is provided with a shoulder 27 at its inner end. The hoop which is threaded at one end, as is shown at 20 is provided with a continuation of the screw threads, as is shown at 20 in Fig. 5, for a distance of a number of inches beyond the shoulder 27. A nut 28 is mounted on this screw threaded portion of the hoop so that it maybe screwed up against shoulder 27. Another nut 29 is mounted in reverse position on the screw threaded portion of the hoop adjacent to nut 98.

A number of comparatively short sleeves 30, such as short pipe sections, are fitted over the hoop between flange or shoulder 26 and the nut 29. The normal adjustment of nut 29 simply holds sleeve sections 30 in firm engagement with each other end to end. If, however. a door section becomes jammed in its position, the corresponding nut 29 may be turned so as to press the series of sleeve sections 30 against the shoulder 26. The hoop itself is secured firmly to bracket 18 and the frame section 1 to which the latter is secured, and, therefore, adjusting nut 29 as described serves to force the opposite frame member 1 away so as to spread the door frame members sui'iiciently to enable the door section to be slipped out of place.

The brackets 18 for the different hoops are preferably on opposite sides of the door opening so that the ends of the hoops will be in staggered relation to each other, as indicated in Fig. 1.

It should be understood that my invention is not limited strictly to the exact details of construction described, but is as broad as is indicated by the accompanying claims.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a silo, the combination of door frame members, a door adapted to be secured be tween the same, a step member pivoted to said door, to swing toward and away from the same, a support on said door to hold said member in its operative, outwardly-extending position, said member having a curved slot therethrough, and a latch member loosely pivoted to said door to swing in a direction transverse to that of said stop member. and having a portion extending through said slot, said slot having an edge portion so positioned and shaped as to swing said latch member about its pivot over one of said door frame members, and at the same time inwardly toward the face of said door frame member, as said step member descends.

2. In a silo, the combination of door frame members, a door adapted to be secured between the same, a lug on said door, adjacent a side edge thereof, a stop member, pivoted to said lug and adapted to swing downwardly to a horizontal, operative position and return to an inoperative position. said member having a slot therein, a rod extending outwardly from said door. having stops thereon, and a latch member loosely pivoted on said rod between said stops, said. latch member having a tail portion extending through the slot in said step member, and being movable thereby into and out of position to engage the front surface of the adjacent one of said door frame members.

3. In a silo. the combination of door frame members, a door adapted to be secured between the same, a member pivoted to said door, to swing vertically toward and away from the same, said member having a latchactuating surface thereon, a pivot rod extending outwardly from said door, and a latch member loosely pivoted thereon. said latch-actuating surface being so positioned and shaped as to engage said latch member to swing the same over the face of one of said door frame members, and also to move the same positively inwardly, toward said face. into binding engagement therewith. as said first named member moves in one direction.

4. In a silo. the combination of door frame members, a door adapted to be secured between the same. a member pivoted. to said door, to swing vertically toward and away from the same, said actuating surface thereon, a pivot rod or;- tending outwardly from said door, stops on said rod, adjustable into different positions on said rod, and a latch member loosely pivoted on said rod between said stops. said latch-actuating surface engaging said latch member to swing the same across one of said door frame members and into engagement therewith as said first named member moves in one direction.

5. In a silo, the combination of door frame members, a door adapted to be secured between the same, a latch member loosely pivoted to said door, so as to be free to swing over the same and the adjacent door frame member having a latclimember, and to move inwardly toward and outwardly, to swing said latch member tointo engagement with the latter, said mem- Ward the face of said door frame member. 10 ber having a tail, and means, comprising a This specification signed and witnessed pivoted step member, having a surface this 5th day of January, 1920.

adapted to engage the tail of said latch VICTOR S. BAUDER. member, for swinging said latch member \Vitnesses: about its pivot over said door frame mem- BYRON E. FAKE,

her, and at the same time forcing said tail WILLIAM D. BEEKMANL 

